Does this work read and say what you think!! Alagae Turf filter.... sounds to simple

[jenglish]

This thread probably covers the main points well in a fairly succinct fashion IMO. I could probably find you some threads on RC about it but they are neither brief nor particularly productive for large stretches.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6...+turf+scrubber

ATS tends to be a topic DSB vs. BB, Ford vs. Chevy, that some people have heard go back and forth on for years. An ATS can work, I know folks who have had them running since 1992, but a lot of it depends on what you are looking for the filter to do. It has it's niche in this hobby but don't expect it to be a pancea. It has it's drawbacks and benfits like anything else.

[fihsboy]

I too used to have a problem with nitrates and phosphates.......now I use vodka and dont have a problem at all.

[jenglish]

Here is also a build thread of TRTer
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6...+turf+scrubber

Here is a very brief thread that starts out algae control and gets into a bit of philosophical debate about ATS and essentially the Adey method versus Berlin method (oversimplifying the concepts here).
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6...ae-124843.html

[jenglish]

or if you are really really interested you can look through some old school threads that are less brief that are bout Adey himself. I have not followed Santa Monica's threads in over a year (I once followed them on around 20 forums, most of which he has been removed from), but last I knew he gave very little lip service to Adey.
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...+turf+scrubber

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...+turf+scrubber

[Cuttlefish]

I can certainly see how that design would be effective. Turf algae is great for nutrient export. I was wondering though, prior to using this method did you use a decent protien skimmer and any sort of refugium? Hows the tint of the water, is it as green as they say? Does running carbon and/or chemipure help to eliminate that?

[DLO]

The ATS was/is just another piece of the puzzle for my system . I was just replying to the OP,s question since I do run a ATS .I am not a santamonica fanboy but after seeing one of his five thousand post I thought id give it a try . I still run a skimmer , it pulls about a 1/2 gallon a day of black water out , and my calupera still grows like crazy .
A phosphate reactor would cost me to much to run and I have "tried" to stay away from dosing anything . If I am gone for 2 weeks the scrubber won't crash or cause a crash , it will just need a little extra attention when I return. My water is clear now , it wasn't pre ATS . So the ATS just seems to fit so far .This is looking thru about 7 1/2 feet of water to the lps .

[fihsboy]

Originally Posted by DLO

The ATS was/is just another piece of the puzzle for my system . I was just replying to the OP,s question since I do run a ATS .I am not a santamonica fanboy but after seeing one of his five thousand post I thought id give it a try . I still run a skimmer , it pulls about a 1/2 gallon a day of black water out , and my calupera still grows like crazy .
A phosphate reactor would cost me to much to run and I have "tried" to stay away from dosing anything . If I am gone for 2 weeks the scrubber won't crash or cause a crash , it will just need a little extra attention when I return. My water is clear now , it wasn't pre ATS . So the ATS just seems to fit so far .This is looking thru about 7 1/2 feet of water to the lps .

Ohh I hope you didnt get the wrong impression. Im not saying your santamonica. Trust me.........that guy is known in the hobby by everyone who reads posts. If it works for you thats great! Your tank looks healthy. Everyone has different methods. I tried an ATS.......it started to smell my house up.....so out it went. But if you have means of controlling that and you like it .....thats great! Theres a lot of keys to sucess in this hobby, this is one that will help a lot of people, its just not for me.

[DLO]

Originally Posted by fihsboy

Ohh I hope you didnt get the wrong impression. Im not saying your santamonica. Trust me.........that guy is known in the hobby by everyone who reads posts. If it works for you thats great! Your tank looks healthy. Everyone has different methods. I tried an ATS.......it started to smell my house up.....so out it went. But if you have means of controlling that and you like it .....thats great! Theres a lot of keys to sucess in this hobby, this is one that will help a lot of people, its just not for me.

No problem , just trying to give the op the other side of it . The smell can be bad , but I have only noticedit when cleaning it . Just like EVERYTHING in this wonderful hobby , ie ca reactors , uv , ozone , vodka........ it all has its good and bad . Its just a big puzzle and each hobbyist has to decide which pieces to use to achieve the proper balance .

[luther1200]

I think the idea is sound, but with improvement in technology it kind of obsolete no. Most choose to just run a fuge or PO4 reactor because space and maintenance time limitations. The bottom line, IMO is that it could be a helpful part of the whole, but it isn't the end all filter thats going to replace your skimmer and everything else.

[Cuttlefish]

I just couldnt imagine why someone would WANT to replace a skimmer. Its such a basic function and so effective for reefkeeping. As organics accumulate in the water column, they are removed before they can cause problems. Why would you want to find a way around that? Is it for the the fact that you can skim out vital elements? Many living things in a reef tank do that and elements will have to be replaced anyway. Some skimmers can be pretty pricey I guess. $250-$400 for a decent one. But given the cost of all the livestock its made to sustain, its a small price to pay. Even though you can build a turf scrubber for under $150 including supply pump, I only used it as supplemental fitration. You just cant go wrong with the good ole protien skimmer.

[Doug1]

I think we can all pretty much agree that A: there is more than one way to run a successful reef, and B: Whatever methodology you pursue, the more you understand about the nuance of the process the better results you will have. Having said that, after all these years I still believe that successful reefs have specific biotopes for the targeted species, low fish loads, and utmost attention paid to minimal nutrient intro vs maximum waste export.
The more fish and coral or other critters you have in a given volme of water the bigger the skimmer you need to deal with the waste, even SPS have respiration proccesses and these produce CO2 and some slime, soft corals secrete more organics, and adding fish to the mix means more supplemental feeding, hence more poop, wated food, etc and this all needs to be removed in the context of a small "semiclosed system" (as compared to the open ocean, which given the pollution issues the ocean faces is not an infinite diluting dumping ground). The less you add into a system the less you have to remove, it's always a question of balance, and the actual getting to the break even point is we we disagree, alot

[motorslave]

There are two main reasons I dont plan to ever go the turf scrubber method.
1. The added time and labor involved in upkeep.
2. A skimmer pulls stuff OUT of the water continually 24/7, the turf scrubber catches it and even releases some of it back into the water until it is manually removed.

Those are the basic reasons for me. That they can work is no doubt, just not my cup of tea.

[harlequin29]

Hey Darren! How is the Algae scrubber been working for you recently. I have been meaning to ask you on WAC. From what I have seen, seems the results are consistent. Can't wait for the next meetup to see your 1.4k gallon system =]